Our second National Trust venture in the Peak district took us to Moreton old hall. It is a spectacular Tudor property that other than a slight tilt is in excellent condition. And perfect for a family day out.
A family day out at Moreton old hall
On the walk up, it’s quite amazing to see, complete with a moat, very impressive. It would have been quite a status symbol in its time, although there is no denying that it still is. Now I wonder if it is possible to add a moat to our house?
The site offers regular guided tours that last for around 40 minutes. I knew F wouldn’t want to take part in that but we did manage to tag on to the opening and listen to 10 minutes of history on the house.
It was interesting and very well delivered. In usual National trust style! We were then able to explore at our leisure. You have access to a large part of the three storey house and it was fascinating.
The children were given a task sheet on arrival. They had to look out for boxes in the rooms that would offer a chance to experience the smells that would have greeted you in Tudor times. You then had to rate as Sublime or Stink. He really enjoyed doing this, although our view on nice and not so nice smells differ greatly… Typical boy, the smellier the better.
A family day out
We were lucky to have a beautiful day again and we sat and ate our picnic in the sunshine while watching reluctant parents and excited children dancing around a maypole. I was very disappointed by the lack of ribbons/ Although my experience of maypole dancing is limited to a few childhood moments!
It wasn’t really the sort of place you could spend a whole day. Once you’ve toured the house and walked the garden, you are pretty much done. That was enough for us on this occasion thankfully.
Mow Cop
Rob spotted a big hill and a ruined building in the distance so it was time to head off in search of this. With very limited directions I was surprised when he found it with ease.
Not that I ever doubted him of course but it seemed a long way off. It turned out to be a little known National trust site called Mow Cop.
I’ve not found any information on the app for this or the book so it was a fun little find with amazing views. A quick climb and some ball throwing and it was time to say goodbye to the Peak district and our first of many weekends of National trust trips.
I’d definitely recommend a day out at Moreton Old Hall but I would suggest tagging it on to something else as even with a picnic we still only stayed for a few hours. The staff were friendly and helpful and the passes saved us a massive £30.
